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The Republican National Committee has unleashed videos attacking the former first lady and an online petition encouraging the two networks to stand down.

On Aug. 5, the Republican National Committee threatened to ban CNN and NBC from presidential primary debates if the networks didn’t ditch plans for shows about Hillary Clinton by Aug. 14. The day came and went, and CNN hasn’t scrapped plans for its documentary, nor has NBC canceled its planned miniseries. Apparently the RNC wasn't bluffing, because it has scheduled a vote for Friday, Aug. 16, to determine if the two networks will be blackballed.

The standoff began when Reince Priebus, chair of the RNC, disclosed a letter he had written to NBC Entertainment chairman Robert Greenblatt and another one to CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker. In both letters, he argued that the projects amounted to free advertising in favor of a Clinton presidency at what would be a crucial time: just ahead of a presumed announcement that the former first lady, senator and secretary of state would be seeking the presidency in 2016.

Priebus and the RNC didn’t respond to numerous requests for comment about Friday’s scheduled vote, but the organization has not been idle on the subject. At the RNC’s website is an online petition reading:

"CNN and NBC have both announced programming promoting former Secretary Hillary Clinton ahead of her likely presidential campaign in 2016. These are clearly major networks’ thinly veiled attempt at putting a thumb on the scales of the 2016 presidential election.

"This is wrong, and the Republican National Committee will not stand for it. If both networks continue to move forward with these projects, Chairman Priebus is prepared to seek a binding vote stating that the RNC will neither partner with these networks in 2016 primary debates nor sanction primary debates they sponsor."

The RNC has also cut a four-part video series called Will the Hillary Films Include …?

Each 30-second video in the series features an unflattering portrayal of Clinton preceded by the text: “CNN & NBC are both making films to promote Hillary Clinton before 2016 … Here’s one clip they might ‘forget’ to show you.”